as in detectives
a person not on the police force who investigates criminal or illicit activity or searches for missing persons
the popular TV sleuth lives a much more action-packed life than do his real-world counterparts
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Recent Examples of sleuths
As unexplained drone sightings along the East Coast trigger investigations and demands from officials for more information, a wave of online speculation has filled the void as amateur sleuths seek to solve the mystery themselves.
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Rhona Tarrant, CBS News, 16 Dec. 2024
Amateur sleuths have focused on cryptic symbols, video games, biblical references, and the number 286, which some believe holds the key to unraveling the mystery.
—Stephan Pechdimaldji, Newsweek, 13 Dec. 2024
Before his identification, many online had already posted their admiration for the gunman who shot Thompson, with online sleuths who relish in tracking people down showing little interest in finding the shooter’s identity.
—Kalhan Rosenblatt, NBC News, 12 Dec. 2024
Still, some of the most popular internet sleuths have sat out the investigation.
—Melissa Chan, NBC News, 7 Dec. 2024
Internet sleuths have taken the investigation into their own hands, meticulously analyzing Mangione's online posts, looking for any patterns or hidden meanings.
—Joseph Epstein, Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2024
Some digital sleuths who have assisted police in previous manhunts refused to cooperate to find the New York shooter.
—Patrik Jonsson, The Christian Science Monitor, 10 Dec. 2024
Podcasts have also become a must-have for streaming platforms, as people increasingly turn to the chatter of true crime sleuths, quasi-dating experts and cultural commentators for daily background noise.
—Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY, 4 Dec. 2024
Several true-crime sleuths alleged the possibility that she was trafficked or kidnapped, but the Los Angeles Police Department said there was no evidence of those theories.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 3 Dec. 2024
Rhona Tarrant, CBS News, 16 Dec. 2024
Amateur sleuths have focused on cryptic symbols, video games, biblical references, and the number 286, which some believe holds the key to unraveling the mystery.
—Stephan Pechdimaldji, Newsweek, 13 Dec. 2024
Before his identification, many online had already posted their admiration for the gunman who shot Thompson, with online sleuths who relish in tracking people down showing little interest in finding the shooter’s identity.
—Kalhan Rosenblatt, NBC News, 12 Dec. 2024
Still, some of the most popular internet sleuths have sat out the investigation.
—Melissa Chan, NBC News, 7 Dec. 2024
Internet sleuths have taken the investigation into their own hands, meticulously analyzing Mangione's online posts, looking for any patterns or hidden meanings.
—Joseph Epstein, Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2024
Some digital sleuths who have assisted police in previous manhunts refused to cooperate to find the New York shooter.
—Patrik Jonsson, The Christian Science Monitor, 10 Dec. 2024
Podcasts have also become a must-have for streaming platforms, as people increasingly turn to the chatter of true crime sleuths, quasi-dating experts and cultural commentators for daily background noise.
—Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY, 4 Dec. 2024
Several true-crime sleuths alleged the possibility that she was trafficked or kidnapped, but the Los Angeles Police Department said there was no evidence of those theories.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 3 Dec. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Sleuths.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sleuths. Accessed 30 Apr. 2025.
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